I just have to share this story with everyone...I was recently working as a server at a wedding...just helping out a catering company that was in a pinch. The couple had individual cakes of all flavors on the tables for the guests. The bride had given specific orders to save whatever cake was left over and put them into boxes for her. No problem. When we went to clean off all the tables, most of the cakes were ruined by the guests. They had either written something on the side or tops of the cakes (with their fingers) or had stuck Hershey Kiss wrappers in them as if they were trying to add their own little decorations. It hacked me off! Obviously they had no idea of how much the cakes cost. Plus, who wants to eat it after someone's dirty fingers had been all over it?! Most of the cakes only had 1/3 of it gone too so there was still a lot of cake that could have been enjoyed. I just felt bad for the couple. We did box up the cakes but I wonder what the bride said when she saw all of them wrecked!

- good grief - were these *guests* released of their chains or let out of their cages for the night?
I honestly and truely believe that the older i get the more i see and hear that good manners/repect towards others and just self pride is dissapearing from this planet.
WHATS GOING ONNNNNNNNNNNNN in this World today?

What type of people do that ????????
Whats worse (if thats possible) is that they would of either been family or firends of the B&G.
I'm just gobsmacked -
Think i would have shed a tear as i tried to save some - *shakes head*

Bluehue.

Wow, that is pretty tacky and rude! It amazes me how ignorant people can be. I'm sure the bride will be upset when she see's them.

Makes me think of my wedding day..we had a MASSIVE dessert table..european family..lots of baking. I think we had four or five long dessert tables. When my wedding was done, the waitstaff cleared the tables and just threw everything in boxes, mixing cakes with cookies etc.. If you know european desserts there is alot of cream fillings, layers etc.. It's expensive stuff to make too. Everything was crushed and ruined. My mom and MIL were soooo upset as most of the stuff was inedible. We had family visiting all week, and they had nothing extra to serve them. They didn't tell me until after my honeymoon, so not to bother me with it...but man was i upset when i found out.

It never ceases to amaze me what people will do when they think they can do it anonymously. What a waste of cake! Not to mention that I couldn't even imagine destroying a cake (or anything) like that.

well thats a good story to tell to put a bride off ordering the table cakes if she thinks shes going to be able to take home leftovers.

From the description, it sounds like the bride paid extra $$$ to get more than enough cake (in different flavors, too!) so her guests could have the enjoyment of plenty of dessert. What a way to thank her generousity!

So sad.

The caterer said that she ordered the cakes from a bakery who is known to be fairly pricey.

I think there is a way to avoid this-

Eat Dessert First!

If this wedding was anything like some of the affairs I have attended, the cakes should have been served and the extra boxed BEFORE drinks were served. Respectful, well mannered guests + booze=crazy behavior.

Just a thought.

Ok, I can't believe it, but I'm coming to the defense of those rude guests.

Assume that I'm not a cake person, just a regular person at a reception or a dinner.

WHY would I assume that the leftover cake is going to be saved? It's a cake that's been cut and served. And oh, look! THere's some left that's going to go in the trash.

When I go to Olive Garden and they bring the one big bowl of salad for the whole table, I NEVER assume that the leftover salad is going to be used later. (oh lord, that's sickening just to think about it!). Any leftover rolls or breadsticks, I assume will be tossed in the trash ANYWAY!

My husband is the WORST about playing with his food! You cannot imagine what a glass of lemonade looks like after he and the kids ("kids" that are over 20 years old!) are done adding salt, pepper, butter, sugar, catsup packets, and whatever ELSE They can find to create their own little science experiment! It's part of the dinner's entertainment!

So don't be hard on the guests. To them, it's as much "leftover food" as the bite of mashed potatoes and the half-eaten roll they left on their dinner plate.

Yeah, I was going to say what indydebi said - who in their right mind would want "leftovers" off the tables? In most states the health code prohibits taking unused food (ie: breadsticks) off a restaurant table and using them on another table, because you never know what has been done to it. That's just gross.

Not that I condone the vandalism of the poor little table cakes. But kids will be kids, always.

Just one more reason to recommend against table cakes.

that is just so inconsiderate...especially after attending the reception as "guests"...or were they guests at all?? i would have been so upset! don't people think before they do things!

some ppl have no manners!

I realize the cakes were pricey but why would the bride want them back....half eaten cake......ugggghhh...but non the less....you don't play with the food. I would think that the quests at each table would be the ones taking it home.
You are so right kellym and indydebi......kids will be kids.....

[quote="BluehueI'm just gobsmacked ([/quote]

Oh, that expression makes me miss my good friend who lives in Queensland! He lived in Idaho for quite a few years, then moved home. I miss him and all his Australian expressions, about half of which I could actually understand!!

At the risk of getting possibly flogged here....

My husband is the WORST about playing with his food! You cannot imagine what a glass of lemonade looks like after he and the kids ("kids" that are over 20 years old!) are done adding salt, pepper, butter, sugar, catsup packets, and whatever ELSE They can find to create their own little science experiment! It's part of the dinner's entertainment!

Who plays at the dinner table while out??? NEVER EVER would I "allow" my husband, kids to pull that. Entertainment or not, that's just rude. I can remember being very young and having to do dishes. Big deal you say?? But...do dishes after both your parents have just smoked at least 2-3 cigarettes each and squashed them onto their dinner plates...oh yeah...let's add that they either went into a left over glob of mashed potatoes and gravy, maybe spaghetti, whatever was left on the plate.

So yeah, it totally disgusts me to see that kind of behavior. Completely uncalled for.

I will apologize ahead of time if I pi**ed anyone off...I was just floored.

I can't see messing up the cakes, but it wouldn't occur to me leftover cake would be anything other than garbage.
Also, the bride should know her guests. If they're the type to mess them up, she should know that.
My niece's groom was so mad at all his friends who spent their entire reception outside smoking and drinking beer from a keg... She told him "Now you know how other people feel when you do that".

No, charb, I totally agree with you! You're right ... it's disgusting to me, too.

When we all go out together, they can get pitiful! No matter how much I reprimand them or remind them that someone has to clean that up, nothing short of a sawed-off-shotgun is going to stop them once they get started.

I will say it's not every single time, and they can be "appropriate" most of the time.

But like kids who just decide not to behave sometimes, that's what I'm married to!

All in all, he's a keeper, but there are times I'd really like to knock his noggin' off!

Ummmm...who in their right mind would expect little cakes left on tables all night to still be in one "piece" (no pun intended) in the first place?? Yeah, rude is right, but still.....it's not a good idea to expect a lot out of folks these days. It's too bad.

I wouldn't think that the couple expected half-eaten cakes to be boxed up, but the ones that were "extra" or that hadn't been eaten. No way would I want something that someone's already eaten off of!

yes, death of manners -- all this "it's all about me and my self expression!!!! how dare you crimp my style with rules, etiquette, good manners or even plain ol' common sense!!!???!!!"

and yes, one more reason to argue against table cakes and instead push if the bride insists on take-home favors --

cupcakes individually packaged and staked on each table.

AND

FYI -- (ACHOOOO! --- just dug out a dusty volume on long ago lore and tradition) --

sending home cake slices IS a tradition --

send home the slice with the ladies NOT to be eaten,

but to be placed under the pillow to guarantee future marriage.

just what a lady needs -- a bed full of crumbs -- hmm on second thought a previe of coming attractions depending upon whom she marries???

Was there alcohol served at the reception? If so then the behavior of the guests really isn't that surprising since people who are even a little tipsy will do things they wouldn't normally do sober.

I guess I'm grossed out at the idea of saving the cakes anyway, think of all the people who don't wash their hands right serving themselves cake.

You know I hate that too. I recently brought a few dozen cupcakes to my friends house when they were having a small party,( I wanted to try some recipies and i like to try them out on my friends) Well, by the end of the night ( and many beers later) my boyfriend and his 30 year-old friends found it funny to fill some of them with mustard.

They thought it was so clever and funny, and could not understand while i was yelling at them with my most stern teacher voice to knock it off. Then I explained to them that my friend would most likley either bring the leftovers to work or give them to the neighbors. Now, God forbid a somoene innocently took one of my cupcakes a tried it and got one of the mustard filled cupcakes, it would have ruined my reputation.

After putting them in time out for a few minutes (haha) i decided that the boys are no longer allowed near the cupcakes while alcohol is being consumed.

So even at an event as fancy as a wedding, always expect someone to act like a 4 year old with cake around them. It's a great motto to go by.

But that is so unfortunate for that couple, now I know not let guests near cake and to warn brides of it.

Weddings+alcohol=drama

Case in point, me and my drunk sister and cousin in the parking lot taking our earrings and shoes off and tying up our hair about to throw down because "Tita thinks she's better than us 'cuz she's married!"...not a pretty picture.

I wish the least of my worries that night was no leftover cake.

I think it was discusting on the part of the bride to want to take the left over cakes home (whole or not). The thought of that turns my stomach!!! You don't know if someone sneezed it the vacinity of one of the cakes or touched it after NOT having washed their hands in the restroom. The reception is a party with people drinking, goofing around - who knows!!! GROSS!!

Maybe they had goats or pigs at home. They will eat almost anything.

You know, I didn't think of that. As long as it wasn't chocolate, I'd probably bring the leftovers home to the animals. I do that at restaurants all the time.

at my sisters wedding we catered it at a decent time we packed up and left leaving them some snack type food in disposable dishes they were still having a grand time... Well it seem not long after that the party moved to the empty pool and something about flying guacomole Well the honeymoon was delayed ans the groom and his friends had to clean the place the next morning. They did mature into very upstanding men in the community I will be interest to see them at their dds weddings they all have teens now.....